John Terry and Frank Lampard face Wembley heartache this weekend as Rafa Benitez signals the end of the Chelsea old guard.

The English duo have rightly become Blues icons during the Roman Abramovich glory decade at Stamford Bridge.

Lampard has played in all 11 of Chelsea's visits to the new Wembley, and Terry - last omitted from a showpiece game when Claudio Ranieri selected a half-fit Marcel Desailly for the 2002 FA Cup Final against Arsenal - missing only the 2007 Community Shield.

Since Abramovich bought the club to transform the face of English football in 2003, they have both played in all of the 32 major finals and semi-finals for which they were fit and available.

But Benitez will leave the two symbols of Chelsea's decade of dominance on the bench for the FA Cup semi against Manchester City on Sunday, preferring Branislav Ivanovic to the skipper at the back and pairing Ramires and John Obi Mikel at the expense of the vice-captain in midfield.

The interim manager's selection decision will be the clearest signal yet of the west Londoners' long-term direction of travel.

Asked if he would allow sentiment to play any part in his thinking for the City game, Benitez was clear-headed in his response.

"It's the same in every competition," said the Spaniard. "You have win every game so you have to make decisions.

"If it goes well you say, 'Great rotation' and if it's not you say, 'Oh he made a mistake.'

"Any player, when they are out of the team, especially when they are working so hard, it is very difficult. But it is something you have to do. You have to explain to them."

Lampard, still two goals shy of Bobby Tambling's club record 202 goals and running out of time before his contract ends next month, appeared to be resigned to his fate after playing all 90 minutes of Thursday's Europa League tie against Rubin Kazan.

The midfielder said: "It's a nice record for me to have at Wembley. I've had some success at Wembley with England and Chelsea.

"But every game is different. We're not sure we're playing, if that's what you're getting at.

"I've been lucky enough to have a lot of great finals for Chelsea at Wembley and elsewhere.

"When you talk about someone being an automatic selection, that depends on how you're playing and what manager you have.

"Relationships, and things, change. I don't think anyone is an automatic selection with the manager at the minute. There are lots of games and he's changing it regularly.

"I'm like everyone else - I want to play every game, but it's not possible."

Out of the Blue: Benitez is likely to pick Ivanovic and Mikel instead (Image: Reuters)

Benitez, meanwhile, who will be managing at Wembley for the first time - his only two previous visits were to watch England's friendlies with Spain and Sweden in November 2011 - is aiming to have some new photos taken for his most private room.

Benitez lifted the trophy with Liverpool after a penalty shoot-out win over West Ham at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium seven years ago and he added: "The FA Cup is very different to the Copa Del Rey in Spain, and it has more importance for us and for me. After you've won it, you know what the competition means.

"For me, winning it was really important. The league is the competition that means you've been the most consistent and is more difficult. But the joy of winning a cup competition is massive, whether it's the FA Cup the Europa League or the Champions League.

"I still have a photograph of me, Steven Gerrard and the FA Cup. It's in a room on the bottom floor of the house. We have a display of photographs. There is not much room, not much space, but I would love to create some space for some Chelsea photographs."

Like the departing Benitez, his opposite number Roberto Mancini may not be around at City next season and the Spaniard suggested those at the top of the Eastlands club were the ones to decide if the Italian had done enough.

He added: "Whether he loses his job is not my business. I have a lot of respect for City and Mancini. I don't know the targets they had, if they are happy with what they are achieving.

"I know that if we finish in the top three and win one of the trophies or both, I will be really pleased and really proud. If you look at the big picture, analyse like a professional, you can see the job we have done with a squad that is in transition and young players.

"But in football you are judged on trophies. You cannot stop people thinking like that.

"In 10 years' time they will not remember that we had to play Paulo Ferreira and Nathan Ake in big games, only what you did."